Worth Your While
by SigmaTheta
Summary: Lizzy Stride walks onto any ship in the world like she owns it, and the Dreadful Wale is unfortunately no exception. (Billie/Lizzy. Post-Dishonored 1, Pre-Dishonored 2. Prompts: smuggling, teeth.)


Lizzy Stride walks onto any ship in the world like she owns it, and the _Dreadful Wale_ is unfortunately no exception. Her group of thugs follow along in her wake, swinging their gaff hooks around and having a grand time tearing the place apart, toppling barrels and digging through crates for any smuggled valuables.

Billie can't do much more than watch from the bridge while it happens, sitting as she is on her bunk with her hands tied and Lizzy's biggest goon keeping guard over her. (She made him work for it, at least, and the occasional wet snort and rustle of cloth from behind her as he continues to try and stem the flow of blood from his nose makes the indignity of the situation a little easier to bear.) She sighs as the hatch into the cargo hold is forced open, the sound of splintering wood ringing in her ears, and decides to close her eyes against the sight of further damage to her beloved ship.

"I'll be damned. It really is you."

Billie looks up warily as Lizzy climbs the last few steps into the room and stops just in front of her, arms crossed. She seems more entertained than anything else, which gives Billie a little hope that she might get out of this with all her fingers intact.

"I thought Annabelle was bullshitting me when she said we caught Daud's little turncoat, but here she is: the infamous Billie Lurk."

Billie scowls at the apparent shift in her reputation over the last few years, but she keeps herself from commenting. "I don't want any trouble, Lizzy," she says instead. "I'm just trying to get by with my own business."

"Yeah? Well your business took you into my territory, and you know I can't let that slide."

"You hold the Wrenhaven, not the coast."

Lizzy grins, showing off every one of her unnaturally pointed teeth. "You've been out of town too long. The Dead Eels have expanded."

Well, so much for keeping all her fingers. Billie holds back another weary sigh and considers her options quickly. "It was just a mistake, then," she says, trying to buy a little time. "You've pretty much gutted my ship by now, so you know I'm just small time – no threat to your profits. I'm sure we can find a better way to settle this than whatever you have planned."

Lizzy looks thoughtful for a moment. Then she waves a hand at the guard, who grunts in acknowledgement before leaning down to cut the rope around Billie's wrists. He leaves the room with a nod to his boss, and Lizzy drops herself down onto the bunk beside Billie. "I do like the idea of you owing me a favor," she says, grinning again. "What kind of settling did you have in mind?"

Billie rubs at her wrists and eyes Lizzy curiously. The Dead Eels had been uneasy allies for most of Billie's time under Daud, but she had never had the chance to interact with their leader directly. Her appearance, shorter and skinnier than expected, maybe doesn't quite live up to her ferocious reputation, but she commands with an easy confidence that Billie finds both familiar and appealing. "You've had dealings with the Whalers before, and you know I used be their second in command. You know the kinds of skills I have. I'm sure I can be useful to you in some way."

"Useful until another pretty face catches your eye, and you turn traitor," Lizzy says with a snort. She leans back on her elbows, managing to lounge quite impressively within such a small space. "Yeah, everybody heard that story."

Billie supposes she should be thankful the rumor mill has eliminated all the guilt and manipulation and black magic from the tale and left only the seduction, but it irritates her a little to hear it all put so simply. Still, it's something she can work with. She shrugs and sits back in an imitation of Lizzy's pose. "You don't need to trust me to make use of me," she says, "but if you're looking for anything more involved than killing, I guess you'll just have to make it worth my while to stay on your side."

"You think you're really in a place to bargain here, Billie?"

"If you didn't think I was something worth bargaining for, I'd already be dead. Why not try and make the best deal I can?"

Lizzy laughs, harsh and barking. "You got me there," she admits easily. She shifts her weight, leaning in closer. "Worth your while, huh? What exactly are we talking here?"

She puts her hand on Lizzy's knee and says, "I can think of a few things you could try." Her other hand reaches out to curl behind Lizzy's neck, and she pulls her down.

The teeth are a strange thing, even expecting it as Billie does. Rough edges scrape her tongue and the sharp tips catch on her lips and threaten to draw blood with every touch. She's not sure if she likes the sensation or not, but she's willing to keep at it and find out, out of curiosity if nothing else. When Billie had first head the rumor, years ago, of the Dead Eels' leader filing her teeth to points, she had dismissed it – another ridiculous tale spread by the easily terrified and overly credulous citizens of Dunwall. But one of the older Whalers, who wasn't prone to exaggeration and who used to run with one of the river gangs before Lizzy took complete control, claimed to have had a run-in with her while she was still making her name, and he had a very distinctive bite-shaped scar on his forearm to prove it. And Billie had been…intrigued.

She had also heard rumors about tongues being bitten off around the same time, but she figures it's probably best not to think of that just now.

Lizzy breaks off and moves lower, dipping her head to kiss along Billie's neck and down to her shoulder. Then she bites down on sensitive skin, and Billie sucks in a startled breath and lets it out in a hiss at the pain. Her face grows hot and her pulse quickens, and Billie curses herself for being so damn predictable, so easily drawn in by even a taste of power and danger. Lizzy Stride may not be anywhere near the likes of Delilah or Daud, but it is still enough after so long on her own. She reaches eagerly for the buckles holding Lizzy's vest together, then trails her hands down to the belt below…

A sudden, loud crash from outside startles them apart, followed by a cacophony of shouts and more splintering wood, and Billie is brought immediately back to the full reality of her situation, as thoroughly as if she'd been drenched in sea water. She eases away from Lizzy, drawing her hands back slowly, and shoots a forlorn look out the window and onto the deck. "You should probably finish taking control of my ship while she's still in one piece," she says dully.

Lizzy, still breathing a little heavily, follows her gaze and watches for a moment as the Dead Eels continue their destructive work. She smirks as she turns back. "Alright, then here's what our bargain's going to be: I take your ship, and you work for me. I'll make it _worth your while_ to stay on, and if you don't try anything funny, maybe you get your pretty little boat back one day." She pats the metal siding of the cabin with mocking affection. "Deal?"

Billie tears her eyes away from the _Dreadful Wale_ 's destruction. She's certainly heard worse terms in her life, followed more monstrous people for much lesser rewards. She gives Lizzy a nod. "Deal."


End file.
